anyone out there who knows the answer........

with win xp pro if you forget your password at the login how can you bypass so you dont have to format the hard drive, i have tryed to start up in safe mode but that dont work .. there is nothing wrong with the os, i have just forgotten my password and it just seems a shame to have to start again
if anyone could help that would be great......

It is possible to gain access to your computer without the password if you have the Windows CD and serial number to hand. You need to use the Repair facility. The downside is that using this facility will replace system files on your computer with the files on the CD. This means that if the CD is old then you will need to update your OS after the repair. Of course you would have to do this after a reformat anyway, but the repair should not affect any of your installed programs or your settings. Another possibility is to use a password recovery service. There are other methods that work, including using a specially prepared Linux boot disk with NTFS drivers and software that can read the Windows registry.

This service, from a reliable UK site, is free if you wait 3 days to receive the password. You need access to another computer with Internet access. Clearly you have this, else you could not have posted here.

If you decide on the Repair route, your best option is to use a CD with SP3 integrated (slipstreamed) if you are able to borrow or create one. This will save all the updating afterwards. If you are unsure about carrying out a repair, read this page for full details. You need to be alert for the correct moment to interrupt the installation of files during the repair operation.

After the computer reboots automatically (which happens after files have been copied), watch the screen carefully. "Installing Windows" will start. Soon the progress bar for Installing Devices will appear. When you see this progress bar, press SHIFT + F10. A command console will open. At the prompt, type NUSRMGR.CPL and press the Enter key. This will give you access to User Accounts. Change the password to something you will remember, or make it blank. Then close the window and exit the command console. It is important that you now continue with the repair, else the new password will not be set.

The easiest way I found to get a lost password back was to use Hiren's Boot CD http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd . Infact I have used it around 3 times the past couple of months, once on a rack server with RAID controllers.

After bootup it will show you a screen where you can choose System Recover, and then either the Active Password recovery or the Offline Password Recovery. It will read and display all user accounts and upon selecting one it will reset its password to blank.

Restart and when Windows Login screen comes up asking for a password just press enter, you are back in Windows.

U could just search on Youtube on how to get around it

try to search for "hack a windows xp account" or something

I think the best method is using windows password recovery software. Burn the .iso file to a blank CD or a USB flash drive or a floppy disk, insert the CD(USB/floppy disk) into the problem computer and your password will be reset to "Blank" without losing any data and you needn't reinstall windows OS.

I also know a windows password recovery tool which can easily bypass windows password ,including your forgotten windows administrator password and user passwords.You can try this.

You can create a Windows password reset disk to reset your password. Follow this 5 easy steps:

1. Enter a computer that can link to Internet. Google "windows password recovery tool". Download and install the software on that computer.

2. Run the software and create windows password reset disk by follow the instructions.

3. Eject the created CD/DVD and insert it into the locked computer.

4. Reboot the locked computer (it's necessary for you to change your locked computer's BIOS setting to make it boot from CD drive) and then follow the instructions to reset your password.

5. Now login Windows and set a new password.